Wild camping in Portugal is legal once again with the amendments of Portugal’s Highway Code articles 48 and 50-A approved in July 2021, unfortunately there quite a few exceptions we have to bear in mind. It is not allowed to camp:
- on the lands belonging to Natura 2000 network
- protected areas
- areas covered by the Coastal Development Plans
If you look at those maps you will realise that unfortunately most of the area of Algarve is covered so officially it is not allowed to stay overnight here in your camper van. In the other parts of Portugal “overnight stays in motorhomes approved by the IMT (Institute of Mobility and Transport) for a maximum period of 48 hours are allowed”.
Not complying with those rules can cost you between 60-600€
If you want to know about regulations in Spain click here.
Portuguese authorities don’t always punish wild camping, especially off season it is much less probable but it’s important to be respectful of the local environment and community. Also locals became really frustrated as the number of campers and vans started to increase and a lot travellers would leave their trash behind and behave inappropriately.
ASAs - Áreas de Serviço para Autocaravanas (Service Areas for Motorhomes)
In response to some problems Portugal had been facing with unresponsible caravaning The Action Program for Responsible Caravanship of Tourism of Portugal was created. Aiming to meet the rising demand for motorhome travel and align it with environmental, health, and transport requirements.
The Action Program will offer updated info and a digital platform to book ASA services. It also includes an awareness campaign called “Life Campers” for responsible and sustainable motorhome practices, supported by partners in the industry.
Where to stay overnight?
So where can you stay because wild camping is not allowed in some parts of Portugal? There are quite a few options
- EasyCamp – stay on a farm! It gives you the opportunity to discover the real, rural Portugal in a sustainable way. You will be allowed to stay at the hosts land for 24 hours in exchange for purchasing a “welcome pack”. Unfortunatel there are only two farms in Algarve at the moemnt
- CampSpace & HomeCamper – stay on somebody’s private land
- EVAZION – association of responsible travellers, on the website you can also find a search engine to look up accommodation on private properties (not only in Portugal)
- use a campsite, we definitely recommend one of authentic, micro campings you can search for on Campanyon
Portuguese associations are lobbying for more camping facilities and the allowance of camping in public places for up to 48hrs for the campers with toilets. Turismo de Portugal is concerned with limited camping infrastructure in the interior but ongoing positive debates may lead to further adjustments to the law. For now, wild camping is partially legal in Portugal. The most important rule is always to be respectful: of the environment, local communities & authorities.
Not accessible for camper vans
